Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says he has no plans to follow the lead of the B.C. government as it reconsiders rules for snowmobilers after a deadly accident near Revelstoke, B.C.
Two Alberta men were killed and more than 30 people were injured when a wall of snow hit about 200 snowmobile enthusiasts in the backcountry for an annual snowmobile event on Saturday.
"Quite frankly I don't know how you could monitor and control all the parts of Alberta," Stelmach said Tuesday during a news conference.
"How do you know where people are going to go next for this type of risk-taking enjoyment?"
B.C. is planning to introduce new rules by 2011 to increase regulation of off-road recreational uses in backcountry areas, including the use of permits, registration and licensing. On Monday, Solicitor General Kash Heed said stricter rules might have prevented the deaths and injuries in Revelstoke on Saturday.
Alberta will gather information from B.C.'s solicitor general to see what is under consideration, Stelmach said.
"There's this balance of common sense, and how much of a risk do you take," he said.
An avalanche expert is investigating the cause of the massive slide that killed Kurtis Reynolds of Strathmore and Shay Snortland of Lacombe. Three other people remained in hospital with serious injuries Monday.
Police were considering whether charges of negligence should be laid.
Avalanches in B.C. have claimed the lives of six people this winter. The worst season on record was 2008-09, when 24 avalanche-related deaths occurred. Of those, 19 were snowmobilers.
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